Thursday, April 23, 2009

LIFE TAKES SOME STRANGE TURNS SOMETIMES

Last weekend I was helping a friend out with his swimming pool and as I netted out leaves I remembered how much I enjoyed being a pool guy. I liked it so much I got a tattoo...It is the chemical symbol for chlorine and the Sanskrit below is the closet iteration of pool nigga I could find...Tera Lum did the tat...sambo face courtesy of Hez.So I called my old boss at Hines pool and he did me a solid. I'll be going to work for Crystal Clear pools on Monday. I went by the Hines shop today and mended fences with Andy...long time readers will recall that we parted on less than positive terms and I had venom in my heart for him for years...but it was time to bury the hatchet.I felt better letting that old grudge go and I think he was relieved as well.When I went into his office today he was immersed in something or other and wasn't aware that I was standing in front of his desk. So I finally said "Hey Bitch" and the look on his face was priceless...I'm certain he thought I was there to kill him at first.But instead we had a nice mending and good conversation.I won't take back the things I said about him but what I neglected to say is that he is a genuinely nice man...but like all of us he has the potential for ugly...and I am no exception when it comes to ugly.:)I got to see my old friends and catch up...but most especially I got to visit with Dee...the office manager.When I went for my interview way back in the day she was the first person I met. And I was tucking in my shirt with my back to her and she asked me if I was jacking off (!) . I knew right then she was a kindred spirit...plus, she likes Grand Funk Railroad.Anyway , and more to the point I have been doing commercial/industrial electric work for 5 years this May and with 170 names on the books and no calls and running out of trails to take the grrrls to I was beginning to lose my mind.As luck would have it , the hall called me this morning...after Jeb called to aim me at Crystal clear.But it is time for a change , and while being a pool guy isn't new to me , I can fall right in. I plan on keeping my ticket active with the union , but I'll take my name off the books. And I still have to sit for my Journeyman's license exam , but I'm in no hurry.Like I said , Jeb went out of his way to help me , but I would be remiss without saying that Joel played an important part as well...putting in a good word for me with the manager at Crystal Clear.No more long pants and steel toed boots , hard hat and safety glasses in my near future...well , OK , I'll still wear the steel toes when I'm not cleaning pools...you never know when you'll have to put the boots to some asshole - right?:PAs Bob Seger (god I hate him , but this line is apt ) "Turn the page" (I just threw up in my mouth a little bit just saying that).Good night Irene...